(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a monodispersed-aerosol generating and dispensing system, and more particularly relates to an aerosol system which generates a measured dose of droplets of uniform size as desired for applications such as pulmonary drug delivery, combustion efficiency enhancement, and surface coating.
(2) Description of Related Art
When aerosols are used in medicine, agriculture, or industry, it is highly desirable for the particle-size distribution to be extremely narrow. These monodispersed aerosols are important because the properties of an aerosol, such as how it is transported to receiving surfaces (such as a human lung) are typically optimized at a particular particlesize. Thus if an aerosol were comprised of particulates of only the optimum size, aerosol delivery and absorption would be extremely efficient. There is a known desire for a monodispersed-aerosol generator which is accurate, dependable and inexpensive.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,738,728, T. Tisone, issued Apr. 14, 1998, PRECISION METERED AEROSOL DISPENSING APPARATUS, for example, shows an aerosol dispensing apparatus including a positive displacement syringe pump in series with an air brush dispenser. The pump is controlled by a stepper motor. The air brush dispenser mixes the reagent with pressurized air to atomize the reagent and produce an aerosol spray.